Debate contribution: Ketamine: Reclassification

Debate contribution by Miss Órlaithí Flynn on 11 March 2025.

MLA

Miss Órlaithí Flynn

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

11 March 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Ketamine: Reclassification

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4855734

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I thank the Member opposite for opening the debate and for tabling the motion. The pressing issue of ketamine misuse is a concern that resonates deeply in all our communities. Sadly, drug use is all too common, probably in everyone's constituency, if we are to speak openly about it. It continues to spread the disease of addiction and, of course, the risk of premature death. Sadly, we have seen that in the number of people who are losing their life to, in most cases, an accidental overdose. They do not realise how potent the mixture of drugs that they are taking is, and, as the Member said, they are even mixed with alcohol, which just makes the substances even more dangerous. While the motion emphasises reclassification, it is so important that our discourse extend beyond the legal frameworks to take into account the health aspect and the education aspect, which was mentioned, and, generally, the wrap-around support that we need to provide to people who might be struggling when it comes to taking substances in the first place. I also commend Sandra and her family, whom I have not met. I have not reached out to them or spoken with them personally, but I want to commend their bravery and their unwavering dedication following the absolutely tragic loss of their daughter, Jeni. The campaign run by Jeni's mother, Sandra, really underlines the impact of everything that she is going through, and she is obviously trying to use her experience to campaign for better and to save lives. It just shows the impact that these issues can have on families. I work locally with a mother from West Belfast, Lorraine Brennan, who lost her son: Jack took a lethal drug and, sadly, lost his life. That was in 2021, and Lorraine has been campaigning day and night since then to try to save lives. However, it is too late for her family and too late for Sandra's. I am conscious that the Justice Minister is here, but this issue is obviously cross-cutting, and my speech may be more directed at some of the things that Mike Nesbitt can do as Health Minister. Of course, my community in West Belfast has not been immune from any of the challenges that ketamine use presents. Reports from local organisations have highlighted a concerning rise in the use of ketamine among our young people, and it is being made worse by the drug's affordability and accessibility. The West Belfast Community Drugs Panel was pulled together a number of years ago, and, at the time, it noted that access to drugs, including ketamine, was alarmingly easy, with substances readily available on the streets, in local parks and even through online platforms. Local families have raised with me the issue of spiking, which was mentioned. I know that it is easier said than done, but we need to get a grip of this. I have heard how kids can now easily go on apps, including TikTok, and click on links. Clearly, there are premises and drug houses that constantly churn out these dangerous substances. That is probably a wider discussion, and that will be a much more difficult and longer-term issue to deal with than the review that we are talking about today. This is not specific to West Belfast, I am sure, but, in everyone's constituencies, really brilliant work is being done by local groups to support families who are living with and battling with family members with addiction. There are a lot of good examples of that in my constituency, and it is really appreciated. Still, however, we know that, despite all the efforts of our Health and Social Care (HSC) workers and our community and voluntary sector, not enough is being done.

Yes.

I thank the Member for her intervention.

Thanks very much. I totally agree. It is a whole-system approach. It is not just all about Justice. It is about the anti-poverty strategy, the substance use strategy, the mental health strategy, housing and unemployment — it is all of that. Finally, I go back to what would be a positive step from a health perspective. Danny chairs the all-party group (APG) on addiction and dual diagnosis, and, at the minute, there is a proposal with the Health Department about trying to introduce a rapid drug-testing model in the North.

Such a model is used in Dublin and Cork and over in Britain. Basically, when there are lethal drugs on the streets, they are tested right away, alerts are sent out within 24 hours and people are notified that the street drugs that they may be about to take could take their life. There might be a wee bit of work to be done on that with the Justice Minister. The PSNI is on board. I think that the proposal is that it would be funded through Health for the first year as a pilot, which would not cost much money. That would be done via Queen's University and the pharmacy. The PSNI will, hopefully, also have a role to play. As a result of today's debate, we will maybe get that over the line, as well as the reclassification review.

867 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:15 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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